MUSIC REVIEW : Double Disappointment From the Irvine Symphony : Two one-act operas fall to the workshop level, with singers and orchestra often out of sync.

Just more than two weeks ago, the Irvine Symphony gave a respectable, sturdy concert made up of two concertos at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. So it was quite surprising when the same group ventured two one-act operas that, with few exceptions, rarely rose above the amateur or college opera-workshop level Sunday at the Irvine Barclay Theatre.

Some allowances must be made for obvious sight dislocations between stage and pit where Peter Odegard presided over his group of 27 musicians. Either the singers couldn’t easily see him or they weren’t looking very often because routinely in Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Trial by Jury,” which opened the program, singers and orchestra went out of sync.

The ensemble itself suffered recurring pitch problems and raggedness, and Odegard let musical momentum flag by allowing dead pauses between the set numbers.

Director Jeri Collins provided minimal if clear traffic patterns but disregarded Gilbert’s original directions for the judge to pass a love note first to one bridesmaid and soon after to Angelina.

Most of the cast consisted of members of the Saddleback College Concert Singers, or so they seemed, judging from the vocal results. Jim Wall, as the judge, and Alvin Brightbill, as Edwin, provided some of the few professionally trained, satisfying voices on stage.

Brightbill returned after intermission to sing the role of the banker J. Pierpont Bigbucks in an uncredited translation and pared-down, updated version of Mozart’s “The Impresario.”

This production casts Mozart as in the title role and does away with the bass singer (as well as with all the other speaking roles). Admittedly, the composer asked the bass to sing only in the final quartet, but it is a splendid finale and worth the wait. Brightbill attempted to compensate for the omission by negotiating the bass’ solo stanza in his lower range, with strained effects. His light tenor had already shown signs of wear.

Both sopranos offered big, dark, creamy vocalism but exhibited striking inadequacies in meeting Mozart’s coloratura demands. Maria Semione vamped her way through the role of Madame Rocketpipes, the elder prima donna, characterizing her as some sort of Russian star. Her put-on accent was so thick, however, that virtually everything she said or sang was incomprehensible.

Mary Lou Basaraba played Mademoiselle Silversong, the younger singer, with clever ingenuity. Both singers sounded strident in the heights, however.

Eric Person played the speaking part of Mozart with dignity. Overall, however, the comedy was compromised by slow-paced delivery.

Odegard conducted the Overture with fitful phrasing and erratic tempos, apparently adjusting to the musicians’ responses and capabilities on an as-you-go basis.